Check-rower and automatic corn-planter.



E. W. OWENS.

CHECK ROWER AND AUTOMATIC CORN PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3, 1912,

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

4 SHEETS-$11311! 1.

E. W. OWENS.

CHECK BOWER AND AUTOMATIC CORN PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3, 1912.

Elmo/who's Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V U ../6 Maw/"(11 fia zzfi 33 '4 5g; ZZ;M

E. w. OWENS. CHECK ROWBR AND AUTOMATIC cow PLANTBR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3, 1912. L090; 67 Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. W. OWENS.

GHECK ROWER AND AUTOMATIC CORN PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1912 1,090,167. Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Elwuwwiiom ym/humus OXVENS, 013 WAC-NEE, SOUTH DA'HJJ'LA.

lilD'l/VARD VI ti 1. ,n

CHECK-ROWER AND AUTOMATIC GOIRN-PLANTER.

Ltlllthii ti l Specification of Letters Patent.

atentcil Mar. l I, itltt.

Application filed September 3, 1912. Serial No. 718.418.

ile 't hnown that l l'lnwano W. Owens, a eitizen'otl the United Slatea,r siding at \Vagner, in the county of Charles Mix and the State ol'#outh llahota, have invented certain. new and usel ul liupror lloweraand i iutoniatio tlorn.llantt-rs; and 1 do declare the following to he alull. clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it flpPGl'i-lllllli to liitllit, anduse the same.

This invention is an improved cheek row corn planter adapted "forplanting thrcc hills of corn siinultai-icously in three parallelappropriat'ely spaced rows, and ennsintiny; in the construction,combination and arrange-- ment of devices hereinafter described andclaimed.

One object of my invention is to ell'cct improvements in theconstruction of the framework or the planter so that the frame renderedtlcxihle and its sides or ends and center are adapted for iinlcpendcntvertical movement '50 that the weight oi the machine may be distributedevenly to the three planting and covering mechanisms undcr allconditions while the machine .1-; at work and thus insure the plantingtil: the corn at the propc' depth and adapting, the

machine to automatically conform to on equalities in the surface of thesoil.

Another object is to ellect improvements in the construction of thedriving means for the seed dropping mechanism, the said iniproveinentsen'ihodyinga driving;- shaft carried by the frame and comprising memberswhich are llexilily connected together at a point substantially at thecenter of the frame to adapt the said shalt to conform to the verticalangular movements of the frame.

Another object of my invention is to combine with the flexible carrierframe on which the seed dropping and furrowopein in; devices are mounteda trailing l'jranie which is pivotally connected to the carrier "framefor vertical angular movement, which is flcr cihlc so that its sides orone and ccutcr may be independently vertically moved to conform withcorrespoiuling ll'lOYOllltlllS of the carrier frame and which alsoenihodies an axle which carries central supporting and carrying wheels,the said axle comprising" members flexibly connected together forvertical angular movement.

l Another object i to provide llill iili' -l llltdllS tor raising andlowering the var-rim Il lnlilii with respect to the trailing frame.

Anotlnir ohject i; to prmide aii iniprmc-i machine of this type wh ch l.adapiol l'or planting three hillq ot' worn siniuhan 'oioir in cheek rowsand which ran ln:-.op ,-ratial hr a mechanism carried lrv the machine orn. a check wire Ftl'tltjlitll acroan the iii-hi.

in the accompanying drawingsn Figure l. is a plan of a check row i'oillplantar for planting threr hilla of corn llli\lllitt|t't ll$-l andeonatructcd in accordance with inv invention. liig. it in a verticalsectional viow ol" the same on the plane indi ated h the lllil' u -i/vol high It and ltnililiifi torwardlv. l ig'. I is a rear elevation ofthe -anie. -'li a vertical longitudinal FWl UHRIl view oi the same onthe plane indioahal hy the line oi Fin. 1. Fig. 5 is a iinilar view onthe plane indicated hy the line i -r' of ligi. l. lllf. i1 is a detailplan lf tho llcxihl jointed axle. Fig. I is a r-iniilar view ol" thellexihly jointed rot-k shalt lor actuating; the need droppingllltlflltlliiSdir. i ic. h is a ill tail elevation ol' the automaticallyoperating niean l'or operating the inn-h vahai t. Fin. i1- a ih-iailelevation oi a whcrh row wiiu and ita anchoring ilt\'ltt lor u.-i in ttllll t'" Lion with the corn planting iuarhiur.

My improved ohecl; row corn planter conipri o a carrier lraine l onwhich the seed boxes and the wed dropping nurhani.--in are airang'ed anda trailer frame .3. the carrier l'ranie lining provided with runners ordislo- T for opening the furrows and the trailing 'l'raine beingprovided with an axle Ill and with supporting wheels on on i which servetoll-over the Fttilr; dropped in the furrows.

I will first de-crihe the i'al'ricl' l'ranic.

A pair oi liars ---l which are ani'an gi'ed parallel with each other areconnci-li-ddw u'etlie at their ends lrv cross liars 5i and at theirrenter liv a, -iin1iur i-ro lllll Under these l'l lliih liar ale l'urrowo' wnin f runners or shoes T whi l may euil'ahle ti)llr-ll'iitlilill.hat prel'er rd. anarahle di hn may he wil -will! lvd tor rho s oes orrunners. 'lhc said l ar l 7 l are als rod nei-ted together lrv pair ol'l'l' fx lipwhich are arranged ni dwuv lain ro tin erors lrarw :l-"dl.lIai-h ol' th liars. t i Willi- II SlS a pair of nieiuhow .3 ill oiunwind length. the nien licrs lit lu i g z-liojhlli longer and thet-Zlltl nienilu iw:

the axle and til illl] [of hinges 14. The rear end of the pole orconnected together as by means of hinges 11 which are arranged on theirupper sides at their joints. This construction of the carrier framerenders the same flexible so that its ends and its center may rise andfall independently of each other and thus adapt the frame to conform toinequalities of the soil.

The cross bars 8 are connected. together by frontand rear arch bars 1213Which are spaced apart and the ends of which are connected to the saidcross bars 8 by means tongue 15 is secured on the center of the frontarch bar 13. A pair of braces loihavc their front ends secured toopposite sides of the tongue, These braces are angular in form, theirfront portions converging forwardly and their rear portions beinganranged parallel with each other and spaced from opposite sides of thetongue and the said rear portions of the said braces projectingrearwardly of the tOiTigLIfi and bear on and are secured to the frontand rear arc bars 1213. Hence, the said braces are spaced above thefront and rear bars 3-t of the carrier frame 1 and the said braces areconnected to the said bars 3% by U- shaped standard links 17 thevertical. arms of which are secured as by means of bolts or othersuitable devices to the outer sides of the braces, the bars 5 3-4passing be tween the vertical arms of the said standard links and beingvertically mo able therein.

Pairs of vertical guide rods 18 have their lower ends secured to crossbars 19 on the bars 3-4, near the center of the carrier frame, the saidguide rods extending upwardly through and-being free to move in verticalopenings in the arch bars 12-13. Cushioning springs 20, which are hereshown as coiled springs are placed on the guide rods between the bars 19and the under sides of the arch bars l213 so that their upper ends bearagainst the said arch bars and counteracting cushioning springs 21 areplaced on the upper portions of the said guide rods, their lower endsbearing on the braces 18 and their upper ends being engaged by adjustingnuts 22 which are screwed on the said guide rods. By turning theseadjusting nuts, the tension of the cushinning springs 2021 may be variedas required; The cushioning springs While permitting the carrier frametoflex or bend vertically coact with the arch bars and the braces 16 tosupport the central portion of the carrier frame and prevent-i110 latterfrom moving vertically at the center to undue extent and also serve tocushion the central portion of the flexible carrier frame and preventthe latter from vibrating. The front portions 'of'the brace-s16 areconnected to the front ends of the intermediate cross bars 8 of thecarrier frame by means of link rods 23, the rear ends of Which arepivotally connected to the carrier frame as at and the front ends ofwhich are connected to the said braces 16 by means of eye bolts 25. Thesaid boxes 20 are mounted on the cross bars at the ends and center ofthe carrier frame and are provided With suitable seed droppingmechanisms each of which includes a horizontally arranged beveled gear27 cngagedby a vertical beveled gear :28 on a rock shaft 29 the saidrock shaft having its bearings in the bases of the seed boxes andcomprising a pair of members 3031 of unequal length, the member 30 beingthe longer. These members of the rock shaft are connected together by asuitable knuckle which is arranged in line with the pivot axes of thehinges 11 which connect the members of the bars 3% of the carrier frametogether and the said knuckle while. causing the members 3031 of therock: shaft to rotate together admit of the said rock shaft flexing orbending at the joint between its membersto conform to correspondingmovements of the carrier. frame when the machine is in operation.

A rock arm 33 is attached to the member 30 of the rock shaft 29-atapoint to one side of the centrally located seed box and the said. rockarm has a fork 34 at its free upper end and constitutes the actuatingelement of the rockshaft. A stop bar 35 pro jects from the front side ofthe centrally located seed'box-and is arranged in front of the rockarm33 to limit the forward movement of the latter, a coiled retractilespring 36 being also provided and which has its rear end connected tothe rock arm and its front end connected as at 3? to a suitable standard38 which is secured to and projects upwardly from the front bar 3 of thecarrier frame, this spring serving to draw or turn the rock armforwardly and to correspondingly move or turn the rock shaft 29 in onedirection.

It "will now describe the trailing frame.

A reach yoke 35: which is substantially and. horizontally arrangedand-Which is U- shaped, has the front ends of its arms pivotallyconnected to and between the upper ends of pairs of blocks 39 which aresecured on the ripper side of the front arch bar 12 at pointsequidistant from the center of the same and spaced fromopposite sides oftlic tongue 15. The said reach yoke, thence, extends rearu'ardly from,and its front end is pivotally connected to member of the carrier frame,so that the said reach yoke is adapted to move s ngularly in a verticalplane.

A pair of longitudinally" arranged side bars 40 have their front endspivotally connected to the rear portions of the cross bars 8 of thecarrier frame as at a l, such pivotal connections admitting "of verticalangular movement of said side bars. The rear ends of the rdtlt) oars areconnected together by an arch bar eli which is similar in constructionto the arch bars 12 B of the carrier frame and the ends or which areconnected to the rear ends oi" the side bars it) by hinges 43.

The rear portion of the reach yoke extends across and above the centerof the arch bar 42 and is connected thereto by vertically arranged clipbolts 43 which are arranger astride the arms of the reach yoke and admitof slight vertical moven'ient ot' the reach yoke and the arch bar &2with respect to each other. From the rear end of the reach yoke projectsa si'iitable pivot element 44 on which the inner ends of av pair ofoppositely extending marker arms 45 are pivoted, the said marke' ari'nshaving suitable markers 46 at their outer ends and being adapted to beraised and lowered at their outer ends and to be also swung forwardlyand. rearwardly to some extent.

Supporting standards t? are secured to and project upwardly from therear portions of the bars it) and have lorks 15 at their upper ends toreceive the marker arms when the markers i are raised. Then the markersare in use at opposite sides of the planter and their arms all) are inextended transverse position, the markers are held in correct positionfor operation by means of suitable cords 50 which are connected theretoand which extend forwardly to the frame of the machine and are withinreach of the operator, the .aid. cords also enabling the markers to beraised and placed in or unshipped from the supporting forks iS, as willbe understood.

A supporting axle 51, which is nonrevoluble and which is preferablyrectangular in cross section, comprises a pair of members Fri-"-53 ofunequal length, the member 52 being the'longer. Each member has a spii'ulleolat its outer end on which an outer covering and supporting orground wheel 55 mounted for rotation. The member is 'also provilflcdwith a spindle 56 at its inner vertical angular movement.

'liwlll'litll for rotation on the spindle at;

end, at a point corrcspomling wil h the centor of the axle, as a whole,and this spindle ht is provided at its outer end with a vertical notchor recess 57 which receives a tongue 7? which projects from the innerend of the member 5?), the said tongue being pivotally connected to thespindle 56 by a lmri'rontally arranged pivot bolt; 59. Hence, thelin'lnbcrs of the supporting axle are pivotaily connected together at apoint near bul to one side of the enter of the axle for A centrallyaring wheel (,0 is and when in use bears against the slnmlder til. oithe axle member 52 and is held in place by a linch pin 62. When the saidl nch pin hasv been removed, the said wheel may he rnovci'l iai'igcdovering and support ,yoke 38.

to one side over the knuckle or pivot joint between the members SZ S B,to enable the spindle 5b to be greased, after which the said wheelht) isthen moved to its initial position and the linch pin reinserted to keepit wl'ien in such position and yet permit it to rotate on the spindle56.

The knuckle or pivotal joint between the members ol the supporting axleis in line with the pivotal or knuckle joints between the bars 3-4; ofthe carrier frame and the members lid--31 of the rock shaft 29 so that;the supporting axle of the trailing frame is adapted to flexcorrespondingly with the carrier frame. The im-n'lbers of the supportingaxle are secured to the under sides oi? the bars l0 oi the trailingframe by means of U-shaped links tit}, the arms of which engage the flatvertical sides of the members of the axle and the upper ends of whichare bolted to the sides of the said side bars elO. 'lhe axle members arialso engaged by U- shaped vertically arranged links and guides til theupper ends of the arms oi. which are bolted to the sides of the reachyoke 38 and, hence, the middle portion of the axle is adapted to movevertically with respect to the reach yoke. The braces (3= 1 are providedFor the links and guides.

A pair of obliquely arranged rearwardly diverging braces (37 have theirfront ends coi'lmscted to the side bars 4.0 as by means oi" hinges (towhich permit. vertical angular movement of said braces. The outer, rearends of the braces bear on the upper sides of the members of the axle,near their outer ends and-are secured thereon and thereby by means ofU-shapcd clip bolts or links 07.

A seat 68 for the driver, is arranged above the center supporting andcovering wheel (30 and is supported by the upwardly converging legs orsupports (39 the lower ends of which are secured to the sides of thereach Hence, the weight of the driver is imposed on the trailing frameat a point directly above the center supporting and covering wheel andis distributed by the reach yoke. the arch bar 4-2 and the side bars i0to the members of the supporting axle at points about midway between theside wheels 5.? and the center wheel (30.

To raise or lower the runners or disks carried by the carrier, I providea pair of levers 7t) whirlrare fnlcrumcd at the rear ends of the bracesit) and are provhhld with foot rest.- or trcadlcs 71. The foot rests ortrcadlrs are. respectively, secured to the members 52 m; of the axle atpoints equidistant from and near the wheel t). The operator-by using hisfeet on the trcadles or his hands on the levers can turn the latter andcause them to raise or lower the braces ill. and hence. also the rearend of the tongue and the carrier frame connected thereto and with itsrunncrs'and seed dropping mechanisms and thus enable the runners to beoperated at any desired depth in good soil according to the depth atwhich it is desired to plant the seeds.

I will now describe the means for actuating the rock arm 33 and, hence,also the roclr shaft 29 which actuates the seed dropping mechanisms.

A sprocket wheel 72 mounted on a suitably fixed stub shaft 72* at apoint in line with the rock arm 33 and is connected by an endlesssprocket chain 74 to a sprocket Wheel 75 which is secured to one side ofand is revolved by the Wheel 60. This sprocket chain is provided atsuitably spaced points with outwardly projecting spurs 76. The lowerlead of the chain passes between a pair of spaced guide pulleys 77 whichare mounted on a suitable stub shaft 78 at the upper end of a standard79 which projects upwardly from the bar 4 of the carrier frame. Thelower lead of the chain is also arranged between the arms of the fork ofthe rock arm 33. The fixed pointer 80 which is vertically arranged islocated near and i to one side of the wheel 60 and issecured to the axle51 at'its lower end, its upper end projecting above the wheel 6.0. -Thesaid wheel is provided at diametrically opposite points with markers 81.The gears 72-75 are so proportioned and the spaces between the stubs 76of thechain 7a are of such length that the said spaces indicate thedistances between the corn rows and as the seeds are dropped by the seeddropping mechanisms one of the markers 81 may be at the upper side ofthe Wheel 60 in line with the pointer 80 the other marker 81 will be atthe lower side of said wheel to make a mark in the soil and one of thespurs 76 will be just in front of and in position to immediately engagethe rock arm 33. Hence, by appropriately turning the wheel 60 andcausing one of its markers ,81 to coincide with the line of hillsplanted at one end of a field, the machine can be primarily adjusted soas to cause all the hills to be planted in exact check rows, as willbeunderstood. The machine being then started in operation, the shaft 29 iscaused to make apartial rotation rearwardly as the rock arm 3-3 isturned rearwardly by each of the spurs 76 of the chains 74 insuccession, and as each spur passes beyond andfrom the upper end or forkof the rock arm, the latter is suddenly turnedforwardly, to ether withthe rock shaft 29 by the action 0 the spring 36, the forward movement ofthe rock arm being determined by the stop 35. At eachforwardstroke ofthe rock arm, the seeds are dropped by the seed dropping mechanisms intothe furrows made by the runners or disks and in exact check rows.

If preferred, the wheels Tit-75 and the chains 'Z-l may be removed ordispensed with and the rock arm 33 operated by a wire 82 stretchedacross the field and-anchored at its ends by anchoring and adjustingdevices such as indicated in Fig. 9. I cla1m:

1. A planter of the class described comnected together for independentverticalmovement of the ends and center of said carrier frame and atrailing frame connect ed to and extending rearwardly from the carrierframe and having supporting wheels,

the said trailing frame comprising flexibly connected members adaptingthe center and endsvo-f the trailing frame to be independently andvertically moved.

{5. A planter of the class described comprising a carrier framecomprising members flexibly connected together at points'intermediatethe ends f said carrier frame for independent vertical angular"movement, said. carrier frame having seed dropping mechanisms and furrowopening elements at its ends and center, a trailing frame arranged inrear of and connected tothecarrier frame, and comprisin members flexiblyconnected together for independent vertical angular movement at the endsand center and supporting and covering wheels mounted at the sides andat the center of said trailing frame.

4. A planter of the class described com-- prising a carrier framecomprising mem.

bers flexibly connected together for independent vertical angularmovement, said carrierframe having seed dropping mechanisms and furrowopening elements at its ends and center, a trailing frame arranged inrear of and connected to the carrier frame, and comprising membersflexibly connected together for independent vertical angular movement atthe ends and center and supporting and covering wheels mounted at thesides and at the center of said trailing frame, a draft elementattached. to

the central portion of the carrier frame,

and means to raise and lower the said carr191 frame-. independently ofthe trailing frame.

5. A planter of the class described. com-- rising a "carrier fran'zchaving members gexibly connected together at a point sub stantially atthe center of said carrier frame tor angular vertical movement, reachclement having its front end pivotally connected to the carrier framefor vertical angular prising members movement, said reach elementextending rearwardly from the carrier frame, seed dropping mechanisms atthe ends and center of the carrier frame, an actuating shaft for saidseed drop in mechanisms and comlihxfifly connected together at a pointsubstantially at the center of said frame; a trailing frame for verticalangular movement and extending rearwardly from the carrier frame, anarch bar connecting the rear ends of the said side bars and flexiblyconnected thereto, an axle comprising a pair of, members connectedtogether at a point intermediate the ends of the axle for angularvertical movement, connections between the 'axle members, the said sidebars and the reach element, said connections admitting of'independentvertical movement between said axle members and said reach element, sidesupporting and covering wheels at the ends of the axle and a centersupportin and covering wheel at the center of the ax e, and means toraise and lower the carrier frame with reference to the trailing frame.

.6. A planter of the class described comprlsin'g a carrler frame havlngmembers" flexibly connected together at a point sub movement, said reachelement extending rearwardly from the carrier t'ramc, seed droppingmechanisms at the ends and center of the carrier frame, an actuatingshaft for said seed dropping mechanisms and comprising members flexiblyconnected together at a point substantially at the center of sa idframe; a trailing frame for vertical angular movement and extendingrearwardly from the carrier frame, an arch bar connecting the rear endsof the said side bars and flex ibly connected thereto, an axlecomprising a pair of members connected together at a point intermediatethe ends of the axle for angular vertical movement, connections betweenthe axle members, the said side bars and the reach element, saidconnections admitting of independent vertical movement between said ax emembers and said reach element, side supporting and covering wheels atthe ends of the axle and a center supporting and covering wheel at thecenter of the axle, a draft element connected to the center of thecarrier frame and connections including levers between the draft elementand theaxle members to raise and lower the carrierframe independently ofthe trailing device.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in the presence'of twowitnesses EDVARD W. OWEi'S. Witnesses:

AMOS C. Janus, JOHN J. MawmNnr.

copies of tlill patent may be obtained or five cents each, by addreningthe Commlnioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

